


Day 10: Holiday Traditions

by MadameCristal



Series: SonsetCurve's Holiday Event - 12 Days of JaTP [10]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: M/M, Past Ray Molina/Rose, Soft Feelings about Loss, lantern festival, moving forward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28264332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameCristal/pseuds/MadameCristal
Summary: Ray Molina stared out the living room window and waited to attend his second Holiday Lantern Festival without his wife. He wouldn’t be alone though – just as he hadn’t been alone the year before. Trevor Wilson would be with him. He’d been with him every year since 1995.
Relationships: Bobby | Trevor Wilson & Ray Molina & Rose, Trevor Wilson/Ray Molina
Series: SonsetCurve's Holiday Event - 12 Days of JaTP [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2056308
Comments: 14
Kudos: 40





	Day 10: Holiday Traditions

**Author's Note:**

> Today we have some soft feelings for Ray/Trevor! ♥
> 
> Continuing on with [SonsetCurve's 2020 Holiday Event](https://sonsetcurve.tumblr.com/)!

Ray Molina stared out the living room window and waited to attend his second Holiday Lantern Festival without his wife. He wouldn’t be alone though – just as he hadn’t been alone the year before. Trevor Wilson would be with him. He’d been with him every year since 1995. He’d considered, briefly, letting the tradition end the year before (since Rose was gone), but Trevor had picked him up at their usual time.

This year, Trevor was late, and Ray was worried. What if last year had been their farewell year? He’d barely had the thought when Trevor’s Mercedes pulled up in the driveway. Carrie got out first and dashed into the house. She was the last of the motley crew assembled in the Molina house to arrive.

It was a lot to ask Victoria to watch them all while they were gone - 8 teenagers and a ten-year-old – but mostly they’d watch themselves. She was just there to make sure they didn’t burn the house down or cover the kitchen in sugar (again).

Trevor drove them up the winding cliff side until they reached the grassy hill where the event was held. From that hill, they could see the city and the lights and the people down below, but everything seemed so far away. 

It was a small event – not that many people ever attended – and Ray still didn’t know how Rose had discovered it that first year. She’d just declared they were going and dragged him and Trevor (then Bobby) with her. He’d liked it though. The quiet atmosphere with the candlelight had given him a sense of peace and hope.

They settled on their blanket and laid out the lanterns, felt-tip markers, and the lighter. Carefully, Trevor lit their candle box so they could see what they were doing in the dark.

They wrote out the names on the five lanterns in the same order they had the previous year: _Luke and Reggie and Alex, Nana and Pop Pop, Ray’s Madre and Padre, Rose’s Abuela, and Rose._ Trevor lifted the first one in the air and waved it around till it was floating.

“Is it morbid to light one for them this year?” He asked looking at Ray. Ray shook his head.

“They were your loved ones and you lost them. It’s okay to miss what you guys had, even with the boys here now,” Ray said gently. Trevor gave him a sad smile as he lit the bottom and released it. They proceeded to light and release the others until only Rose’s lantern remained.

“I thought I was going to break down right here when we lit this one last year,” Ray whispered. Trevor wrapped an arm around Ray’s waist as he swooped the lantern through the air to till it was floating. Trevor lit the lantern, and Ray let it go. They stood there, Ray leaning into Trevor’s embrace, and watched the lanterns float across the sky.

“We love you Rosie,” Trevor murmured. The wind whispered in the trees, and Ray felt in his bones that she heard them. They sat back down as the people around them launched their lanterns and packed up. Soon, it was just Ray and Trevor still sitting there with their little candle box. 

“Do you want to go?” Trevor asked quietly.

“Can we stay awhile longer?” Ray whispered. Trevor tightened his grip around Ray, and the other man moved closer.

“We can stay as long as you want,” Trevor replied and kissed the top of his head. They’d been friends for decades, thanks to Rose. Ray had seen Trevor at his lowest points and witnessed his worst mistakes. But he’d also seen the way he loved Rose and Carrie. Trevor had even gifted them the house the Molinas still lived in. There wasn’t much they didn’t know about each other. 

Thoughts of Trevor and Rose were swirling in his mind – the past, the present, and the future. He knew his past; he carried Rose in his heart and in his children. He didn’t know what the future would hold. But there, in that moment, Ray knew what he wanted.

“Trevor?” he turned to his friend.

“Yeah?” Trevor responded, turning to stare at him. Their faces were so close that Ray could feel the other man’s breath, could smell the coffee he’d been drinking too late in the evening. He leaned forward slowly, giving Trevor time to back away, until their lips were pressed together. Trevor moved then, not back, but forward to deepen the kiss. Ray twisted a hand into Trevor’s hair. 

Ray hadn’t kissed anyone but Rose in 25 years, but kissing Trevor felt right – like it was the thing he was always meant to do. He loved Trevor – he’d loved him back when his name was Bobby, and he was mess. He’d loved him as Rose’s best friend, and then as his own best friend. Trevor was a very attractive man. He’d always known that. But lately, especially since Julie and Carrie had started hanging out again, he’d really _noticed_. And he finally felt like that was okay – okay to notice someone else and want someone else, especially if that someone was Trevor. 

Eventually, Trevor pulled away – just a little – and rested his forehead against Ray’s.

“Te amo,” Ray murmured. He felt Trevor smile even with his eyes closed.

“I love you too,” Trevor replied. Ray knew that, of course. But he liked hearing it, nonetheless.

“Come home with me,” Ray said suddenly. Trevor pulled back and gave Ray his lopsided grin.

“Well I do have to drive you home,” he quipped. Ray rolled his eyes.

“I meant stay, idiota,” Ray chuckled. Trevor leaned forward again and kissed him briefly.

“For however long you’ll have me,” Trevor told him. They packed up then and walked back to Trevor’s car hand-in-hand.

There was a conversation to be had, of course. Probably many conversations. But Ray knew that Trevor wasn’t going anywhere. He’d be there to have all the conversations Ray wanted – he always had been. As he walked, he noticed a bundle of dahlias lying under a tree near the car.

Silently, he sent a little thank you up to Rose. She may not be here anymore, but she was still looking out for him. She'd brought all the extra children he’d always wanted into his life. And she’d brought Trevor into his life. He was a man with a lot of love to give, and he had plenty of wonderful people to give it to. Feliz Navidad indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments bring sunshine to my soul!
> 
> Come play with me on [tumblr](http://madamecristal.tumblr.com/)! ♥


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